The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-07-09
THE TRIAL OF JACOB SHARP.
from Harper's Weekly.l

jacob Sharp strove for the right to
run horse cars in Broadway tor more
mar thirty years before he obtained 1t.
When at length in August, 1850, the
board of aldermen handed the great
street over to the company OF which he
was the head, people spoke OF the
transaction as a striking instance OF
what faithful persistence could accom-
plish. Mayor Edison vetoed the act OF
the aldermen, but they promptly re-
passed it over his veto. Suspicion vas
aroused, and charges of bribery were
Forthcoming. Mr.. Sharp and his asso-
ciates had paid nothing down for their
1 valuable franchise, although the city
6ko receive certain percentages after
fehopld begin TO run. 1t was
61kxthat the privilege was
and that, SO far as the
med, it had been practi-
caIIv4 way. The charges OF
bribery 60oE46rm, and the grand jury
|. found d comprehensive batch of indict
ments, Three of the aldermen OF 1854
became informers.sgainst their fellows
when thstrials came on. These were
Aldermen Fullgraff. Duffy, and Waite:
Theyswore that bribery was employed
to secure the vote by which Broadway
was turned Over to Mr.. Sharp and his
associates. Twenty~thousand dollars,
they declared wasthe amount paid to
each of thirteen aldermen VINO were
lea0ued IN what Alderman Duffy styled
p the "combine." Half a mililon was
the sum which it was charged was
used by Mr. Sharp's agents among the
aldermen altogether. Three OF The con-
setting aldermen were tried and con-
victed. In the case of a fourth Calder
man Cleary, the wealthy ianitor OF the
- Equitable Building) the jury disagreed,
and the alderman Is to be tried again.
:. The trial of Jacob Sharp is the hfti
upon the list. Of the twenty-five al
dermen concerned in giving broadway
= to Mr.. Sharp, Jaehne, McQuade nnc
,. O'Nell are in Sing Sing; Sayles, DE-
Lacy and Dempsey are fugitives IL
.Canada; Rothman is a fugitive in Ger
many; Kenny and Mclaughlin arr
dead; McCabe is~ insane; Fullgrafl
Waite and Duffy have turned wilnesse
for the state; and Shells, Flnck, Farley
Cleary, Wendell, Pearson, Reilly, Mil
: Ter and.Kirk are under bail, awaitin
the movements of events and of tn
district. attorney. The remaining tvs
of the aldermen of 1884, who vote
dgdIuSt III u a.
Hugh~J. Grant, at present sheriff
the city and county of New York, an
John Christopher O'Connor. WI
Sayies, De Lacy and Dempsey ill Can
ada, and also fugitives, are John ke'
nan, understood TO have been the age
who paid the brides, and William Nj
loney, a-go-betweeu.
1t look our weeks to get together
Jury for the trial of Jacob Sharp. Hu
dreds of talesmen were examined a
rejected. When the trial finally bega
x-.on June 10, it was pushed with gre
F&1upf.- Judge Barrett fixed the hol
qassm- and s6:3O.p. IN as
days work, with an he
I1Et197dn at noon, II even dl
r. f6zWaFr1 and enervating per
which followed close upon the open
of the trial this rule Of long sessi
was strenuously observed.
Jacob Sharp. the defendant, is reI
scented in the lower right-hand cor
of Mr.. Snyder's picture. He is in
seventy-tirst yeaT. One might
think him so Old, perhaps. bat it l.
dent thai he is sufferer from disc
By his physicians accOuu he Is atii
ed with diabetes, a heart trouble,
other ailments. His thin hair i II /
brown, and his beard and muetachn
white. 1t was intended at first tha
should have the privilege of sleepii
his home in Twenty-third street du
the trial. under a guard Of de-
sheriffs, but Sheriff Grant prOte
against the great Inconvenience of
plan, and after II or two nights s